[Amish]

What do you guys think of the Valmet M76 rifles? Are they a good buy or would you rather buy something else. I noticed they go for around $1000-$1300. Anything bad about them? Hows accuracy and how are they functionally different from the AK47?

[Wildalaska]

Excellent rifles, parts are hard to find and expensive as are original magazines.

They are the Cadillac of AKs and extremely accurate. Other than cosmetics, they essentially are AKs

WildlovesValmetsAlaska

[cheygriz]

That price isn't at all bad for a Valmet if it's in pristine condition.

[igor]

I live where they were made and you won't get one for such a price any longer. A crying shame... I'm just getting licence for a AK-103 "Saiga".

Having lugged a full auto version around with me day and night for a year, it's a heck of a durable rifle. The best difference to the East bloc stuff (not counting the obvious workmanship part), actually, are the sights. It's a diopter system, with much longer sight radius than the AK's have, protected by sturdy side "ears", won't lose zero if driven over.

What it lacks is hard-chrome lining in the barrel. Shoot it much (as you should) and it will wear. Until then, it's a c c u r a t e.

[Amish]

So all M76 barrel were not chrome lined? Why is that? What steel is the barrel made out of?

[igor]

To my knowledge, none of them were chrome-lined, up to the 92S semi-auto and RK95 that was the last military model.

But not to worry, I saw a lot of really old Valmets and Sakos in use in the army - they must have been 20-25 years of age at that time, and drove tacks none the less. SOP was to keep the barrels well oiled, and Finnish steel definitely outlasts Soviet iron...